Crinum graminicola first bloom

[Allen Repashy]

Hey everyone,

I just had a glance over my bulb garden and was ecstatic to see these bulbs in bloom for the first time (for me). I picked up these massive 7"-9" bulbs three years ago and put them in the ground.

I don't know much about them other than I haven't seen them around much. I looked at some pics on the web and they do appear to be identified correctly, but maybe those with more experience like Jim can chime in for me.

Two out of the three bulbs are in bloom, but they appear a week or so out of synch. I will stow some pollen in case the overlap doesn't work out. I assume they are worth propagating. Are they typically self fertile? If anyone has some tips, let me know. I can also share pollen if it is worth something to someone.

Enjoy, Allen

[jshields]

Allen, very nice blooms! Yours have more red than mine do.

They seem to be self-sterile, so be sure to store some pollen. I may have some rather old graminicola pollen still in the freezer if you want to try it. (E-mail me your postal address if you want some pollen, at jshields@indy.net)

My graminicola, grown in pots, do not bloom reliably here in central Indiana.

Check the leaf width, since that is one trait. See my web page at:
The Amaryllis Family: Genus Crinum

Regards,
Jim

[amarguy]

Fantastik, Allen! Looks like they are initiating foliage growth ... are they generally winter growers?
Ken

[Allen Repashy]

Hi Ken,

They were imported three years ago and I am not sure they have yet figured out what time it is..... They were dormant last winter and started growing leaves this spring, but not much ever came. I think something chewed on them when they started as about half the leaf's end is cut off... I think they bloom at the end of their cycle but I could be wrong. Jim could probably give us more details since he has grown seedlings in our hemisphere.

Allen

[Morabeza]

Congratulations Allen!

They look gorgeous. They sure do have a wonderful fragrance.

Mine bloomed in 2008 (imported in 2004) and was self-fertile.

[Steve Steward]

nice blooms on those Allen! Would you want some huge Crinum "Ellen Bousenquet" bulbs to go with those? I'll send some home with Jeff when he's out here in a couple weeks if you want. They are proving to be amazingly heat tolerant here in Tucson.

ss

[Steve Steward]

Also, what happened to that poor Bombax in the background?

ss

[amanzed]

What a spectacular bloom event. Congrats! --dean

[jshields]

When my bulbs of Crinum graminicola bloom -- they are not blooming this year -- they bloom in late summer. They are stored dry in a heated building over winter (50°F), which means from the first of October till early May here in central Indiana. Then they go outdoors in the open for the summer. I find that they occasionally get a little chlorotic, so I usually feed them some chelated iron; that seems to alleviate the condition. They probably get too much rain some summers.

I think they badly need repotting, so I may try to do that next spring.

Jim Shields

[Allen Repashy]

I think I might have set some seed

[jshields]

Crinum graminicola has a tendency to make air pods, so you might not have seeds after all. Keep an eye on them!

Jim